Be water wise when it comes to household water usage

NORTH BAY, ON – June 29, 2016 – With the recent hot, humid and dry conditions, the City of North Bay is reminding homeowners and residents to remain water wise.

During the summer municipal water usage generally doubles from residents watering their lawns and gardens, filling their pools and washing their cars. This activity puts a strain on municipal water resources, but also leads to an increase in cost for water users.

“This will be the first summer that North Bay residents will be billed based on actual water consumption as measured by the new meters,” said Councillor Tanya Vrebosch, Chair of the City’s Engineering and Public Works Committee. “It will be very important for residents to be aware of their water use and adjust their consumption habits, or they may see an increase in cost if their water consumption is high.”

The City is encouraging residents to try and conserve water during the dry summer months when rainfall is at its lowest and usage is at its highest. There are a number of ways to do this including reducing outdoor watering, installing rain barrels, using a broom to clean debris from the driveway instead of a hose, and covering the pool when not in use to reduce evaporation.

To offer support to residents, the City has created an online portal where homeowners can sign-up to view their personal water consumption and receive paperless water bills. The portal can be accessed by logging on to the City’s website at www.cityofnorthbay.ca and clicking on “eServices Portal”.

“We’re not telling people to stop using water,” said Vrebosch. “We are encouraging them to do their part to make a difference and implement water conservation methods that will not only protect a valued resource, but also their pockets.”

Residents are encouraged to share their water wise behaviour this summer on social media using the hashtag #everydropcounts.

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The City of North Bay is a city of 54,000 people situated between the shores of Lake Nipissing and Trout Lake. Visit our website at cityofnorthbay.ca.